Monday April 24, 2006

Monday April 24, 2006 Zack has been enjoying being back to school three days a week now that Spring Break is over. It allows him to have more continuity in his classes as well as more time to socialize with his friends. He is working with Carol Britton (his tutor) for four periods each day he is at school so they have really gotten close. She continues helping him to build new neuro pathways in his brain through Rhythmic Writing and Instrumental Enrichment. She also works on reading comprehension and creative writing, all in preparation for his return in the fall. His is doing very well in computer and completes his Bible homework by himself. Currently he says they are working on “easy stuff” in Honors Algebra II that he had already learned last year. When I asked him if he remembered it he says yes but I need to get further feedback from his teacher. He continues therapy at Frazier East on Wed and Fridays. Leslie (speech therapist) also works with him on reading comprehension and vocabulary. We are still dealing with the aphasia although we see subtle improvements each week. Leslie is very pleased with the progress he has made in reading. Although he is not at his grade level she is amazed at how far he has come since January. She wants to challenge him this summer with more difficult reading of current affairs through magazines like Time or Newsweek. We have suggested instead something like World Magazine that come at current affairs from a Christian perspective. It will be interesting to see the discussions that develop from the articles they read together. Last week Zack called me and said he just read an article about a mother that killed her four children. He said, “Don’t even think about it”. I laughed and he said goodbye. I always look forward to his calls because I never know what he is going to say. Zack enjoys the sessions he has with Dr Perri (psychologist) especially when they go out to lunch. I am sure that eventually Dr Perri will be involved in discussions of current affairs that Zack is reading. Dr Perri is interested in seeing Zack continue to speak to other teenagers about making good choices but he would also like us to get more involved in the Brain Injury Association.
Zack is realizing through conversations with his Dad and I that he needs to start making new friends in the current sophomore class. He is still socializing with Andrew, Trey and Robbie at school and they were all over to our house playing basketball last week but he recognizes that they will graduate a year ahead of him now and he needs to develop other friendships with the students that he will graduate with. We are in a unique position with Zack right now in that he actually listens to us and acts on our advice. He called Addison, a sophomore from his baseball team, and made plans to hang out. He also asked his good friend Brooke Willoughby (another sophomore) to the prom. We are able to talk with him about things going on in his life and he speaks honestly about the choices he made in the past. He values our opinions and will actually come out and ask us what we think. What a blessing God has given us. He may have severed some neurological pathways but he opened up new lines of communication. We know Zack much better through these last nine months than we did before the accident. He enjoys spending time with us in a way he never did before. This past Friday we celebrated Logan’s (Zack’s little sister) 7th birthday with a slumber party. Dylan made arrangements to be out of the house and Scott was taking Kyle to his Mom’s. When Zack’s plans fell through Scott came back and picked him up. They went to dinner, played pool on Fourth Street Live and went bowling. They really had a good time and Zack enjoyed it as much as Scott. By the time they came home at 11:00 pm I was just getting Logan and her friends to settle down and go to sleep (and frankly was a little jealous that Scott got to have a fun, “adult” evening with Zack). Sunday evening we went to a cookout with Dylan’s football team at his coach, Dan English house. Many parents there got to see Zack for the first time since he came home from the hospital and were amazed at his progress. These are the same people that diligently prayed for his recovery. Prior to his accident Zack would have come up with a hundred excuses to get out of going to that cookout. It was good for Dylan to know that his big brother cared enough to come (Dylan certainly attended enough sporting events of Zack’s in the past). Zack even took Logan for a walk and came back carrying her on his shoulders. Most people that meet Zack see a healthy, attractive, friendly teenager but realize how special he is when they get to talk with him. I hope that as he continues to recover he doesn’t lose that special sweetness we’ve discovered. Please pray for unique opportunities for Zack to share his faith, whether speaking to other teenagers or discussions of current affairs. Continue praying for complete recovery for the Glory of God!
Side note: Trinity has changed the date that we will speak to May 10th at 3:00 pm for those that wish to attend.

Wednesday April 12, 2006

Wednesday April 12, 2006 We had a great time on Spring Break in Hilton Head. Scott’s parents own a condo there and we have been going to Hilton Head for many years. Scott and Zack have played a lot of the golf courses but prior to our trip Zack said he didn’t remember playing golf with his Dad and didn’t remember the ocean. Once we got there and took a walk on the beach many memories of Hilton Head came flooding back to him. He remembered the year that Kyle cut her foot on a shell the first day and we had to go to the emergency room for stitches. He also remembered golfing with his Dad once they got on the green. We are finding now that all he needs to retrieve some of those lost long term memories is to return to the place where they happened. Of course the Exelon medication could be a contributing factor as well as time. When we first arrived in Hilton Head and went walking to the pool Zack asked me if I thought he would remember how to swim. I told him I didn’t know for sure but I felt like it was one of those things that you just don’t forget. He was never much interested in getting in the pool anyway because he wanted to work on his tan but he did make sure he could still swim. The first day they played golf I rented bikes with Dylan and the girls and we went riding for 6 hours. I didn’t feel too bad (except for my bottom) so the next morning when Zack wanted me to run on the beach with him I was ready. We ran about 3 miles and it wasn’t until several hours later that my knees were killing me. By 5:00 I could hardly make it up the stairs to our condo, so the rest of the week Zack had to run by himself. We still had a wonderful time, a much needed rest for our entire family.
Since most of our time with Zack is in a social setting we don’t see a lot of aphasia presented (like they would in therapy or school). We are usually talking about things that he is familiar with and knows the names of, but he still has a lot of problems with food for some reason. When I was making the grocery list out and asked him what he wanted he said “those things that are really good for you that I like to eat”. It took a few more questions and his answers of “I get them out of the refrigerator and they’re round” for me to figure out he meant grapes. Fortunately he doesn’t get frustrated and in fact we all laugh about it. It happened again when we stopped on the way home at Subway and ordered sandwiches. I told Zack to tell the girl what he wanted on his sandwich and he said what ever I got was fine. When I pressed him to make his own sandwich he looked at me and said “How am I supposed to know what all those things are called?” He doesn’t seem to get embarrassed by it. He just accepts it much the same way he accepts the fact he doesn’t read as well since the accident. I don’t really care that he has some problems identifying food because he is so appreciative of things he took for granted before and is much more sensitive to the feelings of others. He thanked Scott and I both several times for taking him on vacation. When I was tired and stressed from unpacking and doing the laundry once we got home, Zack came up and gave me a hug and said he would help me. He is different, not like the teenager he was before. He even likes different music. He used to listen to only rap. Now he enjoys country, old rock and roll and love songs. Lindsey gave him a CD of Harry Connick Jr. and he listens to it every day while he runs (not the choice of most teenage boys these days).
He is still interested in speaking to other teenagers with me. He likes to watch the reactions on their faces while they listen to me tell about his accident. He wants to see if anyone cries because he says that means they know what I’m saying is important. I spoke yesterday at Barrett Middle School to the 8th grade class. There were about 200 students who were very attentive and asked good questions. It was the kick off to a week of festivities for them that lead up to graduation. Their counselor thanked me for delivering an inspirational message that was greatly needed at this time in their lives. I was thankful that even though this is a public school they did not ask me to remove any references to God or prayer or even the scripture I quote. Although this is a message of how choices impact your life, it doesn’t have the same meaning without explaining how God was in control. Zack didn’t go with me because he was just getting back into the rhythm of school after Spring Break and he also had not been practicing his speech. He will speak with me at Trinity High School on April 26th, so he will start rehearsing again.
I talked to him about adding more to his speech so he could start talking longer but he says it is hard enough remembering what he has to say already. Dr Perri has volunteered to work with Zack and help us gradually increase his portion of the speech. This is in preparation (I pray) for the day he will speak alone (or at least have more to say than I do). I have faith that Zack can do it and God will bless his efforts. Zack has a message for so many teenagers and hidden within his words will be the greatness of our God! Pray that Zack’s enthusiasm and determination will overcome his weakness of memorizing. Pray that God will continue to heal him and use him to proclaim His awesome power. Pray for complete recovery.
Deut 32:1 Listen O heavens, and I will speak, hear O earth the words of my mouth.

April 10, 2006 Photo identification

Sorry that I couldn't post headings with the pictures but just getting them posted was beyond my technical abilities. Here is a short list of each photo:
1) Andrew Raines, his Dad Andy, Scott and Zack at the Brain Injury Bowling Bash
2) Zack, Andrew, Trey and I (far left) at Nashville concert with the Barlow Girls
3) Zack right before Thanksgiving as taken by a photographer of the Outlook
4) Zack's first day back at school Feb 28th Christian Academy
5) Zack with Carol Britton (his tutor at CAL) at the Easter Pageant
6) Zack worships
7) Zack with Dani and Ashley, his dates for Male HS Homecoming
8) Zack and Scott as soldiers in the Easter Pageant
9) Zack and his best buddy Rick Thompson
10) "Behold I make all things New" a testimony to God's awesome healing power
this pictures says it all...what Zack looked like the day after his accident
and his recovery less than 4 months later